Switchgear are used in conjunction with electric power systems and generally include a combination of electrical disconnects, fuses and/or circuit breakers that operate to selectively isolate electrical loads. A switchgear may be used both to de-energize loads to allow maintenance or installation work to be done and also to clear downstream faults. Switchgears are located anywhere that electrical distribution, isolation and/or protection may be required. These locations may include, for example, generators, motors, and transformers in factories, power plants and substations.
With reference to FIG. 1, a simplified exemplary switchgear is shown schematically. Switchgear 10 includes at least one input power source 12. Electricity from the power source 12 travels through a current transformer 14 which monitors the amount of current traveling therethrough. Electricity from the power source 12 flows through a main circuit breaker 16 which is electrically connected to a bus 18. Bus 18 transmits power to loads 20. As can be seen, typically a load side current transformer 22 and circuit breaker 24 is electrically connected between the bus 18 and respective load 20. Switchgear include low voltage and high voltage compartments. Specifically, the low voltage compartments are compartments within a switchgear that are isolated from high voltage bus components.
Switchgear are very important, both from a safety and productivity standpoint. Thus, having easy access to switchgear information/data is essential for both installation and operation. In particular, schematics, product information and guidelines are needed for proper installation and maintenance of switchgear. In the past such information was provided in the form of paper manuals that can get worn out or be lost or discarded. More recently, switchgear documentation has been provided in electronic form in stand-alone computers connected to the switchgear via SCADA or other network link. In other configurations, the documentation is provided locally at the switchgear and accessed through a panel mounted computer. Though these solutions are in some ways more effective than paper documentation, the systems are not flexible and are difficult to retrofit and to keep updated.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an improved switchgear data system that is flexible and easy to use.